Garment hanger form



Aug. 11, 1942. H. A. HOB ELMAN GARMENT HANGER FORM Filed Oct. 30, 1946 r r v i INVENTOR BY 7 ATTOR 5.

l--- tar h nt wire hanger having a Patented Aug. 11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a garment hanger form of;,the kind adapted to envelope the ordihook at its apex. s

An object of the invention is to provide an improved design of hanger form, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and will support a garment to best advantage while it is in storage.

Another object. is to provide a hanger form which may be applied to a wire frame or hanger quickly and with great facility as compared with other types of forms.

Another object is to provide, a hanger form which may be shipped in fiat condition so as to conserve shipping space and expense, this without adding to the labor required in setting up or assembling the form with relation to a wire garment hanger.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a hanger form of one-piece construction, a novel arrangement of locks or connectors which are so coordinated in the structure as to enhance the shape giving characteristics of the form, while at the same time speeding its assembly and its connection with a wire frame.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means contained herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the hanger form as seen in a flattened condition.

Fig. 2: is a side elevational View of the form in assembled and mounted condition upon an ordinary wire hanger, and as seen from the rear.

Fig. 3 is a slightly enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

single stamping and cutting operation.

achieving mass production as just suggested, care must be exercised in arriving at a proper design of hanger form, so that the advantages of mass production will not be outweighed by difliculties of assembly and usage in practice. In the development of the present hanger form, all of the foregoing factors have been coordinated and balanced one against another, resulting in a design of hanger form which will fulfill the current need as a commercially practical article, the cost of which is within practical limits.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, the hanger form of Fig. 1 will be seen to include a slitted and scored sheet of cardboard, or other pressed material, having sufiicient strength and rigidity to support a coat or other garment when Fig. 4a is a fragmental plan view of the form I shown in Fig. 1, revealing details of a lock or connector adapted to maintain an assembled condition of the form.

In developing the present invention to completion, particular regard was given to the current knowledge that many different types of hanger forms have been proposed in the past, but have failed to fulfill the need in the art, due to various difiiculties encountered in practical usage. Some of the earlier forms were so constructed as to present packing and shipping problems, assembly problems, and marketing and production problems resulting from manufacturing expense and costs of distribution. A primary consideration in the production of hanger forms is that of speeding the manufacture, so as to secure maximum machine output at the least possible expense. 7 This may best be accomplished by making the form in a single piece, utilizing a the form is associated with a wire garment hanger of the kind previously mentioned. The form is constituted of a front panel 5 and a rear panel 6 opposed to one another along a longitudinal major axis of the form. At each side of the major axis, the blank is furnished with a pair of parallel longitudinal scores 1 and 8, which scores are indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1. The scores run the full length of the form, and by means of a pair of transverse scores 9 and I0 which define the inner limits of the front and rear panels, the area between the longitudinal score lines is divided into a middle section [2 and a pair of oppositely extending end sections l3 and I4. The sections [2, I3 and I4 collectively constitute a spine for the hanger form, and they impart thereto the necessary rigidity to enable the form capable of supporting considerable weight.

At opposite sides of the end section M of the spine, the hanger form is provided with a pair of wings l5 and I6 separated from the front and rear panels by means of cuts H. The wings together with the spine section l4, constitute one of the sloping side portions of the hanger form when set up in condition for use. At the left of Fig. 1, similar wings l8 and I 9 are provided, these being separated from the front and rear panels respectively, by means of the cuts 20. It should be noted that the cuts l1 and 20 that define the front panel 5 converge towards the middle spine section I2, thereby producing a front panel outer edge 2| of greater length than the hinge '22 formed at the junction of the front panel and rear panel. The rear panel 6 extends considerably farther from the spine than does the front panel 5, this being for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

The outer ends of the wings and of the spine sections I3 and I4 preferably are provided with scallops 24 that may extend about the ends in substantial semi-circular formation. These scallops may or may not be scored where they meet the wings and the spine sections, but in either event they perform the function of resiliently holding out, or filling out the shoulder portions of a garment supported on the hanger form. As illustrated herein, the scallopsat the rear of the hanger form are scored, whereas those at the front are not. This distinction between the front and rear scallops is for the purpose of imparting to the front scallops the greatest amount of supporting power because the front portions of the garment sleeves require more support to insure proper hanging of the garment than do the rear portions of the sleeves; however,'it is by no means to be understood that the hanger form. of the invention will be inoperative if all of the scallops, or none of the scallops be provided with scores such as 25.

The characters 26 indicate a pair of wire garment hanger locating tabs formed in the spine sections I3 and 14, with hinge connections 21 to facilitate pushing the tabs inwardly by means of the fingers, in order to locate the wire hanger relative to the form. The manner in which the tabs embrace the sloping sections 28 of the wire garment hanger, is most clearly illustrated by.

Fig. 3, wherein 26 indicates the tab, and 29 indicates the opening from which it is punched. Further in this connection, it may be observed that one of the panels, and preferably the rear panel 6 is provided with a transverse offset slot 30', part of whichextends at reduced width slightly over the center point of the middle spine section I2. It will be seen thatthis small end '31 of the slot is considerably narrower than the outer end 32, and it should be noted that the. length of the slot is dimensioned 'to receive the just beneath the suspending hook. Due to the fact that the hook slot 36 extends only part 'way across-the middle spine section I2, the reduced end 3| thereof serves as a limiting abutmentto preclude disassociation of theiwire hanger from the embrace of tabs 26. In other words, the hanger may not shift bodily toward the front panel 5v any further than slot'end 3| will permit; Consequently, the sloping sides of the hanger cannot leave the tabs 26. 1

As will be evident, the direction of extension of tabs 26 may be reversed, as may be also the direction of extension of slot 36, with similar results, and in that event the major portion of the slot 36 will be contained in the front panel 5rather than in the rear panel 6. By preference the slot 30 is formed in the larger panel.

The front panel 5 and the adjacent wings l5 and I8 may be provided with any suitable form ofmeans to jointhe wings to thepanel. A preferred means consists of a pair of slits or slots 34 in the side margins of the panel, at a distance from the curved outer edge. thereof.

The slots preferably extend indirect parallelism.

with the major axis of the form, and are so dimensioned to receive therein the tongues 35 formed along the cuts I1 and 20 of the blank. The tongues may be produced merely by forming short cuts 36 in substantial parallelism with the divergent cuts I! and 20, so that the resultant tongues 35 will extend substantially at right angles to the slits or slots 34. It will accordingly be understood that by overlapping the wings l5 and I8 onto the adjacent margins of front panel 5, and inserting ,the tongues 35 into the pockets or sockets 34 (see Fig. 4), a joint will be formed which will not separate although the wings may have a tendency to return to the normal fiat condition in the plane of front panel 5. The connections 34-35 will maintain the overlapped condition of the wings to the front panel '5.

At the rear of'the form, the rear panel 6 may be provided with short cuts 31 extending in subat 36. These tonguesare to be inserted af ter overlapping the rear panel 6 upon the exterior faces of Wings 16 and 19, into the @ckets or sockets 39 formed in. the wings l6.and l9. It should be noted thatpockets or sockets 39 do not extend in the same direction as pockets or sockets 34 of the front panel, but are inclined in the direction .of the -center. line of the.form. After the tongues 38.h ave been inserted into. the sockets 39, any tendency of the wings ;l 6 and 19 to slide upon the rear panel 6, is effectively prevented. It should be. noted that the transverse scores 9 and [6 become hinges, as seen at, the topof Fig. 2 as soon as the front and rear panels are placedin lapped relationship to the adjacent wings at opposite sides edges thereof. It is accordingly evident that wing I9, for example, may pivot relative to the rear panel 6 at thepoint 9'of Fig. 2, except when restrained by the lock at 38-433. In like manner wing l6 may pivot.at the point [0, unless similarly restrained. I Fig. 2 illustrates how effectively the looks at 3839 preclude the pivotal movement referred to. I

As was stated previously herein, the rearpanel 6 is made wider and longer than the frontpanel 5 and in addition, it will be seen that the pockets or sockets 39 are at a greater distance from the side edges I! and 20 of the rear panel, than the pockets or sockets. 34 are distant, from the sides l1 and 20 of front panel. 5. The purpose of this is. to induce a greater slope ofgthe rear panel toward the vertical, than is imparted to the front panel .5 (Fig. 3). v This construction causes the front panel to extend forwardly for filling out the chest ,portion of a garment, more so than the rear panel 6 fills out the back of the garment. This desirable condition is aided also, by the fact that the rear panel 6 isconsiderably larger than the front panel 5 andwill accordingly be acted upon by the back of the garment to urgeit toward a vertical ;depending relationship while transmitting an outward force to the front panel for filling out the chest portion of a garment. The coaction of parts just referred, to is responsible to a great extent, for thepracticability of the present hanger form, since the tendencyof all constituentsof theform is to bulgethe garment only at those locations that fill out when the garment actually is worn, h I v From. the foregoing it should be understood that. a garment hanger form constructedin accordance with the. invention herein disclosed may be inexpensively manufactured by machine spine from points adjacent the panels to the opposed ends of the sheet, said wings overlapping the panels from the region of the hook to approximately the region of the connecting bar, and cooperative means within the area of overlap of the panels and wings, for joining the wings to I the panels in overlapping relationship at opposite stand, with equal facility. When applied to a wooden hanger, the tabs 26 need not be used, however, a frictional grip may be caused to apply 'upon the side of a wooden hanger by bending the tabs inwardly substantially at right angles to their respective spine portions. The form may be made in several sizes for accommodating various types of garments, and since the form imparts a natural contour to the garment supported thereon, it is convenient and proper to permit the garment to hang from the form whenever the garment is not in use. The form obviously will not create any unwanted creases or bulges in the garment, however long a garment may be permitted to hang from the form.

It is to be understood that variousmodifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A form to be applied to wire garment hangers, comprising in combination, a body of flexible sheet material including shoulder supporting end portions and an intermediate portion, and wing means carried by said end portions for substantially covering said wire hanger, said body comprising a longitudinal central spine on the form to overlie the hanger, and a plurality of center panels hingedly extended from the material of the spine to provide front and back supports for a garment, the intermediate portion of the flexible body being slotted transversely of the spine to receive a wire hanger hook thrust therethrough, said slot being elongated and extended beyond the limits of the spine and into the material of one of the center panels.

2. A form to be applied to wire garment hangers, comprising in combination, a body of flexible sheet material including shoulder supporting end portions and an intermediate portion, and wing means carried by said end portions for substantially covering said wire hanger, a longitudinal central spine on the form to overlie the hanger, and a plurality of center panels hingedly extended from the material of the spine to provide front and back supports for a garment, the

intermediate portion of the flexible body being slotted transversely of the spine to receive a wire hanger hook thrust therethrough, said slot having one terminal end located at the middle point of the spine for limiting shifting of the Wire hanger relative to the spine in one direction, and having its opposite terminal end located in one of the center panels, with the distance between said terminal ends approximating the width of the hanger hook at its widest point.

3. In a hanger form of the class described, the combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material of a length approximating the spread of a hook-suspended Wire coat hanger having a connecting bar, said sheet being scored lengthwise along two substantially central spaced parallel lines to provide a spine for the form, a front panel and a rear panel hinged to the spine at opposite sides thereof, at substantially the middle of the sheet, and pairs of wings hinged to the sides of a line which bisects the connecting bar and passes through the base of the hook.

4. In a hanger form of the class described, the

combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material of a length approximating the spread of a wire coat hanger, said sheet being scored lengthwise along two substantially central spaced parallel lines to provide a spine for the form, a front panel and a rear panel hinged to the spine at opposite sides thereof, at substantially the middle of the sheet, and pairs of wings hinged to the spine from points adjacent the panels to the opposed ends of the sheet, and cooperative means on the panels and wings for joining the wings to the panels adjacent thereto in overlapping relationship, thereby to impart a substantially triangular configuration to the form thusly assembled, the rear panel being of greater area than the front panel and having a greater overlap with its adjacent wings, so as to respond readily to any displacement forces incident to placing the back of a garment in contact therewith when hung upon the form.

5. In a hanger form of the class described, the

combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material of a length approximating the spread of a wire coat hanger, said sheet being scored lengthwise along two substantially central spaced parallel lines to provide a spine for the form, a front panel and a rear panel hinged to the spine at opposite sides thereof, at substantially the middle of the sheet, and pairs of wings hinged to the spine from points adjacent the panels to the opposed ends of the sheet, and cooperative means on the panels and wings for joining the wings to the panels adjacent thereto in overlapping relationship, thereby to impart a substantially triangular configuration to the form thusly assembled, the rear panel being of greater area than the front panel and having a greater overlap with its adjacent wings, so as to respond readily to any displacement forces incident to placing the back of a garment in contact therewith when hung upon the form, a series of tabs spanning the spine of the form and each having a free end to embrace a hanger wire placed within the form, and retaining means for locating said wire relative to the tabs.

6. In a hanger form of the class described, the combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material scored lengthwise thereof to provide a spine, a front, and a back for the form, a pair of front wings and a front panel hinged to the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form front and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, a pair of rear wings and a rear panel hinged to the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form rear and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, the convergent cuts last mentioned forming a larger angle than the angle formed by the first mentioned cuts whereby to establish a greater area for the rear panel than for the front panel, tongues on the front wings extending outwardly in the general direction of the cuts defining said wings, socket means in the front panel for retheir respective planes, and means joining the rear wings to the rear panel in partially overlapping relationship.

'7. In a hanger form of the class described, the combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material scored lengthwise thereof to provide a spine, a front, and a lack for the form, a pair of front wings and a front panel hinged to thespine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form front and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, a pair of rear wings and a rear panel hinged to the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form rear'and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, the convergent cuts last mentioned forming a larger angle'than the angle formed by the first men- 'tioned cuts whereby to establish a greater area for the rear panel than for the front panel, tongues on one of the panels extending outwardly in the general direction of the cuts defining said one panel, socket means in the wings adjacent to said one panel for reception of the tongues in an overlapped condition of said one panel with its adjacent wings, to preclude relative planar shifting of the wings and panel thusly connected; and

means joining together in partially overlapping relationship the other panel and its adjacent wings.

8. In a hanger form of the class described, the

combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material scored lengthwise thereof to provide a spine, a front, and a back for the form, a pair of front wings and a front panel hinged to the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form front and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, a pair of rear wings and a rear panel hingedto the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form rear and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, the convergent cuts last mentioned forming a larger angle than the angle formed by the first mentioned cuts whereby to establish a greater area for the rear panel than for the front panel, and cooperative means carried by each panel and its adjacent wings, for joining in overlapping relationship the front wings to the front panelyand the rear wings to the rear panel.

9. 'In a hanger form of the class described, the combination which comprises: a sheet of flexible material scored lengthwise thereof to provide a spine,"a-front, and a back for the form, a pair of front wings and a front panel hinged to the spine and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging I inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form front and terminating at spaced points upon the spine,a pair of rear wings and a rear panel hinged to the spine and separated by a'pair' ofspaced cuts converging inwardly from spaced points upon an edge of the form rear and terminating at spaced points upon the spine, the convergent cuts last mentioned forming a larger angle than the angle formed by the first mentioned cuts whereby to establish a greater area for the rear panel than for the front panel, and cooperative means carried by each panel and its adjacent wings, for joining in overlapping relationship to the front wings to the front panel,

' front wings and-a front'panel hinged to the spine and'separatedby a pair ofspaced cuts converging inwardly fromspace'd points "upon anedge of the formfront and terminating at spaced points upon the spine,- a pair ofrear wings-and a rear panel -'hinged to thespine 'and separated by a pair of spaced cuts converging inwardly from 'spaced points uponan 'edge of the form rear and-terminating at spaced points-upon thespine, the con- 'vergentcuts last mentioned forming a larger angle than the angle formed by the first mentioned cuts whereby -to-establish "a greater area for the rear panelthan' for the front panel, and

"cooperative means carried by each panel and its adjacent wings, for joining in overlapping relationship the front wings to the front panel, 1 and the rear wings-to the rear panel; said rear panel 'beingslotted-transversely to the spine-with the slot terminatingatthemiddle point of the spine,

for receiving therethrough the-suspension hook of a-wire garment hanger, and means at opposite sides of said slot for embracing a portion'of such hanger.

HARRY A. HOBELMAN.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,292,786. August 11, 19 42.-

HARRY A HOBEIMAN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring gorree tiones follows: Psgelt, first column, line 11, elaim'Z, for '1a.ck" read "back"; 20, claim 9, strike out "to" first oc'cmrrence; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this oorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. I.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1%2.

and second column, line 7 Henry Van Arsdale l Actihg Commissioner of Patents. 

